Bradford Pear Invasion: North Carolina's Thorny Problem

0:00I'm Corey, and this is your pulse of the city, Durham News today. Braffer pear trees are popping up all over North Carolina right now with their pretty white spring flowers. But these invases from Asia are a real headache for the local environment. They grow super fast, smell like rotten fish when blooming, and push out native plants by stealing sunlight and water. Experts say the trees have weak branches that snap in storms, thorns that scare off wildlife, and leaves that mess up the food chain for caterpillars. Introduce here last century for their nice shape in yards and cities, they spread wildly through cross-pollination and now dominate road sides and forests. People are noticing the takeover, especially during march blooms when the stink hits hard. Garners and wildlife folks from places like the North Carolina Arboretum warn that without action, native trees and animals keep losing ground. Many residents are frustrated by the sharp edges and constant mess from falling limbs. To fight back, cut trees close to the ground and treat stumps with herbicide, but wait until

1:04late summer for the best shot at killing roots. Just chopping won't work, since sprouts pop up everywhere otherwise. Digging or repeated cuts are options if you skip chemicals. North Carolina's Bradford Pear Bounty makes removal easier with free native trees in exchange. Half a four and after photos of your yard, then visit events like Hayesville on March 21st, Asheville and Hendersonville on April 25th or Burlington on May 9th. Support for this episode comes from our sponsor, see the description. What is cooler than cool, a pillow that plays your sound, S-O-L-I, solely pillow dot com.